But Judge David Hale, sitting at an appeal at Mold Crown Court, sympathised with the family but said that the court had to work within sentencing guidelines and it was clear that magistrates had got it wrong.

He allowed the appeal by John Dedman, 60, who had admitted causing the death of Jane Greaves, of Llanynys, by careless driving when his HGV ran her over at a junction near Trefnant on November 14 last year. Dedman said he had not seen her.

Mrs Greaves’ brother-in-law Peter Mimnagh, in an address to the court, said if Dedman was a professional driver of great experience then he should have been fully aware of the blind spots in his vehicle and checked them.

He said the victim’s family were left in a living nightmare for the rest of their lives and he believed that the sentencing guidelines should be changed.

She added: “The impact of Jane’s loss is immeasurable and infinite and we are continually tormented by the details of the incident itself which has devastated our lives and was completely avoidable.”

Judge Hale, who was sitting with two magistrates, said the devastation for the family of a victim in such an accident was the same whether it was the most heinous driving by a crook in a stolen car having had too much to drink, driving at 90mph or where there was an accident where no one was at fault.

Jane Greaves

He said the victim impact statement could have no impact on the issue the court was dealing with, the level of disqualification which was appropriate.

Prosecuting barrister Jade Tufail said the accident happened at 10.40am at the junction of the B5428 and Graig Road near Trefnant, Mrs Greaves was riding her cycle and it was her right of way.

Dedman’s HGV approached the junction and reduced to 3 mph and then accelerated to 11 or 12 mph at the time of impact.

A witness saw the accident and said Mrs Greaves tried to avoid the lorry but it struck her and she was run over by the wheels, leaving her with multiple injuries. She later died in hospital in Stoke.

Visibility was excellent, there were no faults with the HGV or the cycle, and interviewed, Dedman said that he had simply not seen her and she had been in a blind spot in the vehicle.

“The prosecution case is that he ought to have seen her,” she explained.

Simon Killeen, defending, said it was clearly an emotive case because of the devastating consequences.

He stressed that the limited nature of the appeal was that the disqualification was far too long in the circumstances.

At the magistrates’ court, Dedman, of Royston, Burnley, was also placed on a community order for three months to be electronically tagged for a 7pm-7am curfew. In addition, he was ordered to pay £145 costs. That penalty remains in place.